New Guy Advice

I'm looking for some advice... I'm a failing college student, looking around for a career with decent pay and a reliable demand. I've known too many friends who graduate with two Master's degrees and $100,000 worth of student debt only to end up working something dead-end. I want something different.

Some background about me: I love driving. I love cars, I love the road, I love America and the freedom that the American highways represent.

I know that I'm definitely not cut out for the white-collar paper work desk jobs out there. My parents want me to be a teacher... but that is their dream, not mine, and I can't stand the social politics of the teaching world, much less the endless papers.

So I decided to look into trucking. Stumbled across this site. But I'm not sure where to start... I'm only 20 years old... can I still get trained? How does one even find training? What about having experience?

I suppose what I'm really looking for is just anyone who can advise me on what the lifestyle of truck driving is actually like, and how/where/when to get started in the career field.

Thank you all for any insights or advice you might be willing to share!

Cheers,

-Ian

Welcome aboard Ian!

So I decided to look into trucking. Stumbled across this site. But I'm not sure where to start...I suppose what I'm really looking for is just anyone who can advise me on what the lifestyle of truck driving is actually like, and how/where/when to get started in the career field.

We have exactly what you're looking for - our truck driver's career guide will cover almost every topic imaginable that pertains to getting your trucking career underway. It covers the lifestyle, the requirements, your choices for schooling, your choices for work, and a million other things. You can find it here:

Trucker's Career Guide

Hey there Brett - thanks for the info, I've checked out some of that guide already but I'm gonna read through the whole darn thing later today.

Thank you also for letting me know about the 21 age limit; I suspected that may be the case. I don't blame the companies for not hiring teenagers! Haha

One last question for ya - does it cost money to be trained? I wasn't sure if the job training required a monetary investment, because as a dirt-poor student, I'd have to save up for some time to be able to swing that cost. I've heard conflicting reports regarding training... some have said it costs several thousand to go to trucker school, others have said they got paid to be trained. So I'm not sure.

Cheers,

-Ian

Some have said it costs several thousand to go to trucker school, others have said they got paid to be trained.

Both are true.

You can pay a few thousand bucks to go to a Private Truck Driving School or you can go through a Company-Sponsored Training Program where the trucking company will pay the up-front costs and you'll generally pay them back out of your paychecks. Both routes can get you where you want to go. There's no right/wrong/better way to do it. It's really just a matter of understanding the differences between the two and picking the option you feel suits you best. Our Trucker's Career Guide covers both in detail and will explain the pro's and con's of both.

One thing to keep in mind though - even if you go through a company-sponsored program where they cover the initial costs for you, you're still going to want to have $500-$1000 set aside to pay for your food and minor expenses during training until the paychecks start rolling in. So I would plan on having some money behind you before you begin your training.

Everything Brett said is right on point. I would add one thing though, and I am not trying to be offensive or mean in saying it. You mentioned you are a "failing college student." I myself am a college graduate, and completed 1.5 years of law school. Most people think I am insane for going into trucking, a few understand, including one of my law school classmates who will be starting CDL school in a few weeks.

Ask yourself are you a failing student because of your work ethic or because of a genuine disinterest in the subject matter, style of instruction, or something else. Like Brett says throughout his writings, learning to drive a truck is not difficult, but the lifestyle of a trucker is VERY difficult. It is NOT for most people. And most people quit simply because they were disillusioned with the lifestyle. I myself did research for MONTHS before deciding to go into trucking. I read everything online I could and I went to truck stops to speak with truckers.

I highly suggest you do a lot of self-reflection and major research before starting down this career path.

Should have been more clear on that point - I'm failing because I'm honestly disinterested and generally unchallenged by what my school has to offer. The only thing that's really difficult for me is mathematics, advanced stuff like trig. I've always been more of a doer than someone who sits around pontificating and over-thinking stuff. Hopefully that makes sense.

The biggest draw to trucking, for me, is the opportunity to see America. I have always been infected by the desire to see my country, having been an avid reader of Jack Kerouac and Charles Bukowski. I also just so happen to really love driving and the freedom that it entails.

Brett - I can certainly put away about a grand. I was thinking more in the ballpark of $5000+ for school. One or two thousand would not be an issue.

Has anyone ever heard about truckers getting spine and kidney damage from the bouncing around in the cab? I heard someone say this the other day, but wasn't sure if there was any truth to it.

Has anyone ever heard about truckers getting spine and kidney damage from the bouncing around in the cab?

I think what you are hearing are lot's of "old wives tales" from people who have never sat in a truck let alone driven one...that being said, these class 8 vehicles have extremely stiff suspensions...and the older trucks just didn't have the equipment to handle it,so yes, it was a very harsh ride...but the newer trucks have air ride seats and do a much better job of smoothing out the bumps..I wouldn't ever compare them to a Cadillac but unless you have a preexisting back injury, it shouldn't be a problem..

Sorry Roadkill, there is some truth in the injuries that can come about from sitting in a seat, even an air ride seat, for 10 hours a day. I'll name a couple. "Pooling" your lower legs and feet aren't moved much while you drive, so the fluids, including blood, don't get pumped back up into your body mass as it should be. Lower back problems from being in the same position without getting up and stretching, moving around. Bladder infection,stones,etc, from not emptying your bladder as often as you should be. Carpel tunnel, from steering 10 hours a day. bone spurs in the shoulders, from vibration, monotonous movement,and slouching. Bowel probelems, from not going #2 as often as you should. Constipation is very common in truck driers, as is colon trouble and colon cancer, for the above reasons. All I need do, to see many of these problems is look at TSB, after 40 plus years witting behind a steering wheel. You may think its easy...but it does take its toll.

I think Roadkill and Starcar are both right. In other words, trucks in the last 20 years have significantly better suspension and seating systems than they used to and they've eliminated most of the problems that truckers might have had back in the day from very harsh riding trucks. That being said, sitting all day every day without proper exercise and nutrition can cause problems for anyone.

But ultimately to answer Ian's question I would say no, you're not likely to run into health problems of that sort because you're driving a truck and being subjected to a harsh ride. It's always possible to develop the type of problems Starcar mentioned but I would say they're attributed more to sitting all day than they are to being in a truck specifically.

I think those same problems can happen to people sitting at a desk in an office all day also. But the trucks are comfortable and ride pretty nice overall. The jostling around shouldn't cause much in the way of problems. However, not exercising, not going to the bathroom regularly, not getting up to get the circulation going in your legs every few hours, not eating properly - those things will definitely cause a lot of problems if you don't stay on top of your health out there.

I drove for 15 years and never had the first health concern related to trucking. Physical health that is. Driving a truck for that many years will make anyone a little crazy I'm afraid

Sorry Roadkill, there is some truth in the injuries that can come about from sitting in a seat, even an air ride seat, for 10 hours a day. I'll name a couple. "Pooling" your lower legs and feet aren't moved much while you drive, so the fluids, including blood, don't get pumped back up into your body mass as it should be. Lower back problems from being in the same position without getting up and stretching, moving around. Bladder infection,stones,etc, from not emptying your bladder as often as you should be. Carpel tunnel, from steering 10 hours a day. bone spurs in the shoulders, from vibration, monotonous movement,and slouching. Bowel probelems, from not going #2 as often as you should. Constipation is very common in truck driers, as is colon trouble and colon cancer, for the above reasons. All I need do, to see many of these problems is look at TSB, after 40 plus years witting behind a steering wheel. You may think its easy...but it does take its toll.

Starcar..I agree wholeheartedly about what your saying about sitting in a truck all day, every day and the effects it can have on your body, but I gotta wonder if Some of TSB's ailments aren't related to getting thrown out of a bunk and wrapped around a gearshift a few times???